Synaptic Pruning by Microglia Is Necessary for Normal Brain Development
Rosa Chiara Paolicelli, Giulia Bolasco, Francesca Pagani, Laura Maggi, Maria Scianni, Patrizia Panzanelli, Maurizio Giustetto, Tiago Ferreira, Eva Guiducci, Davide Ragozzino, Cornelius Thilo Gross
Science · 2011 · 4,430 citations
Abstract
Microglia are highly motile phagocytic cells that infiltrate and take up residence in the developing brain, where they are thought to provide a surveillance and scavenging function. However, although microglia have been shown to engulf and clear damaged cellular debris after brain insult, it remains less clear what role microglia play in the uninjured brain. Here, we show that microglia actively engulf synaptic material and play a major role in synaptic pruning during postnatal development in mice. These findings link microglia surveillance to synaptic maturation and suggest that deficits in microglia function may contribute to synaptic abnormalities seen in some neurodevelopmental disorders.
Cite this paper
Paolicelli, R. C., Bolasco, G., Pagani, F., Maggi, L., Scianni, M., Panzanelli, P., Giustetto, M., Ferreira, T., Guiducci, E., Dumas, L., Ragozzino, D., & Gross, C. T. (2011). Synaptic pruning by microglia is necessary for normal brain development. Science, 333(6048), 1456–1458. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1202529
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